Getting new customers on board and using your fintech services should be a smooth, seamless process. But too often, the onboarding falls short, leaving customers confused and frustrated. According to Deloitte, 40% of users abandon banking onboarding process because of how rigorous they are. You can't afford to lose customers like that, not when it takes 5 to 25 times more effort and resources to acquire a new customer than retain an existing one.

That's why you need a solid customer onboarding checklist tailored to your fintech offerings. Following the right steps will dramatically improve conversion rates and retention. New users will intuitively understand how to use your platform and appreciate the value it brings. 

In this article, we'll walk through the key elements every fintech provider needs to include in their customer onboarding checklist. With the right strategy, you can seamlessly guide customers through signup and start actively using your services. Let's dive in and make sure your onboarding process isn't driving customers away.

What is a Customer Onboarding Checklist?

A customer onboarding checklist is a set of tasks and steps that a company follows to ensure a smooth and successful transition for new customers. It is a crucial process for any business as it helps establish a strong foundation and build a positive relationship with customers from the beginning.

The purpose of a customer onboarding checklist is to guide both the customer and the company through the necessary steps to get the customer up and running with the product or service they have purchased. It ensures that all important aspects of the onboarding process are covered and no important details are missed.

The Benefits of Having a Customer Onboarding Checklist

Here are some of the benefits of having a customer onboarding checklist. 

Consistency and Standardization

A customer onboarding checklist ensures that every new customer goes through the same process, regardless of the individual handling the onboarding. This consistency and standardization help maintain a high level of service and ensure that no steps are missed. It also helps streamline the onboarding process, making it more efficient and reducing the risk of errors or omissions.

Improved Customer Experience

The onboarding process is the first interaction a customer has with a fintech provider. It sets the tone for customer relationships and can significantly impact their overall experience. By having a customer onboarding checklist, fintech providers can ensure a smooth and positive experience for new customers. This includes clear communication, timely responses to inquiries, and providing all necessary information and documentation.

Time and Cost Savings

A well-designed customer onboarding checklist helps fintech providers save time and money. By having a standardized process in place, employees can complete onboarding tasks more efficiently, reducing the time it takes to onboard each customer. This increased efficiency allows employees to handle a higher volume of onboarding requests, ultimately saving the company time and resources.

Compliance and Risk Management

Fintech providers operate in a highly regulated industry with strict compliance requirements. A customer onboarding checklist helps ensure that all necessary compliance steps are followed, reducing the risk of non-compliance and potential penalties. It also helps in risk management by ensuring that all necessary due diligence is conducted during onboarding, such as identity verification and anti-money laundering checks.

Increased Customer Engagement and Retention

A well-executed onboarding process sets the stage for ongoing customer engagement and retention. By providing a seamless and personalized onboarding experience, fintech providers can build trust and loyalty with their customers. This can lead to increased engagement with the fintech platform or app and higher customer retention rates.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

A customer onboarding checklist promotes effective communication and collaboration among different teams. It ensures that everyone involved in the onboarding process is on the same page and has access to the necessary information. This helps to streamline workflows, minimize miscommunication, and improve overall efficiency.

Key Elements of a Fintech Customer Onboarding Checklist

Here are the key elements every fintech provider needs to include in their customer onboarding checklist for the onboarding process to be effective.

A Clear and Seamless Signup Process

The initial signup process sets the tone for the rest of the onboarding process. Therefore, making a good first impression is important. Make sure it's quick and easy to create an account. At first, only ask for the essential information that is required in the early stages, like name, email, and password. Additional profile details can be collected later in the onboarding flow. Also optimize the signup form with autofill and password suggestions to help minimize friction.

Fintech providers can further improve the process by implementing a progress bar. Showing a progress bar allows users to gauge how much of the registration process they have completed, encouraging them to complete the full process. This eradicates any uncertainty about the length of the process, a factor that often contributes to abandonment.

Details On Key Onboarding Milestones

An effective onboarding program should contain information on the key milestones that customers will go through during their onboarding journey. These milestones serve as checkpoints to ensure that customers progress smoothly through the onboarding process. Some common milestones include:

1. Account creation: The initial step where customers create their account by providing basic information such as name, email address, and password.
2. Identity verification: This milestone involves verifying the customer's identity by validating their identity documents, conducting verification checks, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
3. Product setup: Once the customer's identity is verified, they need to link their bank account and card details for a full configuration.
4. Education and training: This milestone focuses on educating customers about the features and functionality of the fintech product or service. It may include tutorials, guides, or interactive sessions to enhance customer understanding and adoption.
5. First transaction: The customer's first transaction using the fintech platform or service is another significant milestone. Guiding customers through this process is essential to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.

Full Regulatory Compliance During the Onboarding Stage

Regulatory compliance is a critical aspect of fintech customer onboarding. Fintech providers must adhere to various regulations and requirements to ensure the security and privacy of customer data. Key areas of regulatory concern include robust Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance, adherence to data privacy and security standards, and documentation and record keeping.

Clear Documentation

Offer comprehensive documentation to guide customers through the onboarding process. This documentation should include step-by-step instructions, FAQs, and any other relevant information about your product or service. Make it easily accessible and user-friendly to enhance the customer experience.

Personalized and Relevant Welcome Message

After confirming their account, greet new users with a warm and personalized message. Tailor this for the specific product they just signed up for. Use their name and outline the value they will get from your services. This makes the onboarding feel more human and gets customers excited to start using your fintech platform.

Integration With Digital Identity Verification Solutions

Fintech providers can streamline and secure the customer onboarding process by integrating digital identity verification solutions like biometric verification, document verification, and liveness checks. This can be achieved by partnering with third-party identity verification providers. Going digital helps fintechs stay secure while providing a seamless user experience.

Clearly Defined Next Steps

End the onboarding process by outlining what the customer should do next to continue getting value from your services. This could include setting up recurring transactions, downloading the mobile app, or sharing with friends. Defining clear next steps encourages ongoing engagement.

Continuous Support

Customer onboarding doesn't end once the initial setup is complete. It is important to provide ongoing support to address any questions, concerns, or challenges customers may have. This can be through a dedicated customer support team, live chat, or a knowledge base. Regularly seek feedback from customers and make improvements based on their needs and suggestions.

Continuous Improvements to the Onboarding Process

Regularly review and improve your customer onboarding process. Analyze customer feedback and monitor relevant customer onboarding metrics like abandonment rate, time to value (TTV), customer satisfaction score (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and customer retention rate to identify areas for optimization. By continuously refining your onboarding checklist, you can enhance the overall customer experience and drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Level Up Your Fintech Identity Verification and Customer Onboarding Game

There are several components to building a successful fintech product that users love. As a fintech provider, you have to navigate customer onboarding, fraud prevention, cybersecurity measures, and regulatory compliance.

We have prepared a guide titled "Fintech Guide to Identity Verification and Customer Onboarding" that acts as a roadmap for navigating the different onboarding and verification requirements. It also explores how to integrate these components into your product and platform effectively.

Download the guide to learn about:

• Building the ideal customer onboarding process
• How to onboard customers without sacrificing conversion rate
• Methods and types of identity verification
• Considerations to make when selecting an identity verification provider
• How to navigate compliance and regulatory considerations
• Security and fraud prevention best practices for fintech companies
• How to leverage AI to detect and prevent fraud effectively